


Hearth and Home, and Broken Hearts

by LadyHawke361



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Hurt/Eventual Comfort, M/M, Multi, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-31
Updated: 2016-08-31
Packaged: 2018-08-12 04:39:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7920841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyHawke361/pseuds/LadyHawke361
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Doesn't anyone ever wonder what truly happened to their Inquisitors before the Conclave?  This chapter answers that very question for a Qunari Mage named Durazim Adaar. </p>
<p>Let's look into the looking glass and see...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What came before... Part 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [di93](https://archiveofourown.org/users/di93/gifts).



> This is a gift for di93, for encouraging me to share the story of my Qunari Mage Inquisitor. Hope you will enjoy!

He hangs from chains high in the ceiling, arms spread eagle, as though he could fly away. His legs are a good foot off the floor and tightly bound together, the chain fastened to the floor.  He is blindfolded and his ears plugged. Unable to see or hear, he can only wait in tense silence for the next bit of pain. His horns ache, bits of them chipped away to allow them to drip different poisons and acids onto the soft flesh under the tough exterior. Blood drips from these wounds as well as his striped back. Each lash of the cat-o-nine tails was painful, especially when one of the torturers actually poured salt on those wounds. He figured the scars, if he lived would be spectacular. His flayed flesh burned and throbbed with every beat of his heart.

 

At least he was certain that the ones torturing him were not Ben-Hassrath agents, if they were they would have been trying to get him to accept his place as a Saarebas or they would have just feed him Qamek, effectively making him a mindless drone.  If he had to guess he figured they were sent by the slavers who ended up killing his family when he was but 6 or 7 years old. He was exhausted, so he sent his mind back to a happy memory, a memory where his family was still alive.

 

:-:-:-:-:-:

 

_A little boy runs up to his Father, who is training his two older brothers in sword work. “Can I try?” he asks, even though he already knows the answer. “No son, you are still too young.” The boy's shoulders slump in registration. He scuffs his toes along the ground trying to kick a stone through the grass. Studying his reading and math are so boring. He looks over at his Mother who is setting out his books, he really doesn't want to study. So he pretends not to notice and skips off into the woods surrounding his home, he likes exploring much more._

 

:-:-:-:-:-:

 

Pain in his horns wakes the Qunari mage, they almost rip a scream from his lips, only his determination not to give in, saves him from showing weakness. They have returned and removed the earplugs, before they dripped more acidic poison into the channels they carved into his horns. The liquid slowly seeps along the channels burning the sensitive flesh within.

 

“You will break, Qunari! It is the will of the Elder One. You _will_ serve our Master!” They hiss in his ears as he feels a burning hot poker thrust into his abdomen. With the last of his strength he bites back another scream as darkness closes over his mind.

 

:-:-:-:-:-:

 

_A group of Vashoth walk down the road in front of what is left of a small farm, they see slaughtered Vashoth, an adult male and female along with three children layed out like cord wood in front of the main building. There are a dozen humans surrounding a young boy of perhaps six summers. Anger flashes through the leader of the group that just came on the scene. Shokrakar growls out his orders and his mercs jump into action. In moments the humans are dead or fled._

 

_Gently the Valo-Kas mercenary leader, Shokrakar, kneels in front of the youngster, “Adaar, look at me.” Lifting the boy's chin he continues, “I'm a friend of your Father's, you're going to live with me from now on.”_

 

_The boy finally looks into Shokrakar’s eyes and says, “Mother and Father called me Durazim.”_

 

_:-:-:-:-:-:_

 

The Valo-Kas mercenary group’s healers work desperately to save Adaar’s life. The damage done to his horns is almost bad enough in itself to kill if the soft inner part of the horn is left uncovered. They pack the channels carved into his horns with a mixture of Elfroot, water and clean sand. The Elfroot to promote healing, the water and sand to make it more and insulating paste. With great care they wrap his horns in iron plate that gets riveted to the healthy portions of his horns. A metalsmith can decorate them anyway Adaar wants later.

 

The only other mage in the group is working on healing the stab wounds and salted lashes on his back. One of those who had worked to fix Adaar's horns asked, “Who were these guys and what did they want with Adaar?”

 

Shokrakar shakes his head, “The orders I found mention converting non-Tevinter mages into near mindless weapons for the use of the Elder One.  Who ever that is. It looks like the group serving this Elder One is calling itself the Venatori.”

 

As they are talking Adaar wakes with a groan. His eyes barely focusing as he hears the words “Elder One” and “Venatori”. _I have to_ **_remember_ ** _those names. Need to pay those Venatori asses back_ **_and_ ** _that Elder One too!_ He thinks as a feral grins spreads across his battered face. One of the others notices his grin and shudders commenting, “Boss, Adaar is almost as scary as any Antivan Crow.”

  
Shokrakar looks at his second and shudders as well, “I think you're right. I wouldn't want to be whoever Adaar is targeting.


	2. What Came Before...  Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Haven prepare, Valo-Kas is on it's way!

**Several months later…**

 

A shout is heard in the Valo-Kas Mercenaries HQ, “Adaar! Get yerself over here. NOW!” The bellow caught the company seconds attention and he bee-lined it to the Captain’s side.

 

“What's up Boss?” Adaar asks, knowing you had to be ready for anything as a merc.

 

“Got a job for Sister Leliana down south in Haven. Guess their Divine is having some kinda peace talks, a Conclave. They was us to provide the muscle to keep the peace betwixt them rogue Templars and Mages. Frankly I think both both groups should be dunked in a privy somewhere the set to dry in the sun for several days.  Ha can ya just seem them louts with their swords covered in muck, same for the mages.”

 

Adaar laughs as he imagines the circle mages and Templars contemplating their actions while stinkin’ to the high heavens. “Yeah, maybe both groups would learn a bit of humility. But Boss the Mages are treated like less than people, being a Mage I think that needs to stop.”

 

Shokrakar grunts as he considers his second, “Guess your right. Most of the Mages I’ve worked with have been decent. You're my second for Pete's sake!” He pauses thinking. “I want you to lead the group going to peace keep for Sister Leliana. Pick out at least 9 others to join you on the mission with 5 support personnel. Give me your list and I’ll brief them.”

 

“Got it, ummm… Has there been any word on the Elder One or on the Venatori who serve him?” Adaar asks, as he's itching for some payback. In damp weather his horns still pain him.

 

“Not yet, but I’ve got some of our humans headed toward Tevinter to see what they can find on the Venatori. May take a while, have patience. I know you want payback.”

 

The look in Adaar's eyes is unsettling as he replies, “I don't want payback Boss, I _need_ payback! I still ache in the places that got hurt the worst when the weather's shite.”

 

Shokrakar knew that meant his horns would throb with each heartbeat like they were freshly wounded even after all this time. “Who knows Durazim, maybe you'll find something out on your trip to Haven.”

  
With that Adaar went to talk to his fellow Vashoth, to see who would be willing to school Templars and Mages. In the end he had his 9 other Vashoth but for support staff he chose 5 Elves who he’d worked with numerous times before. He thought, _Look out Haven here come the Valo-Kas Mercenaries!_

It only took a few days for Durazim’s list of mercs to be approved and their supplies to be gathered and packed for the journey. Rack member had two mounts, each animal would only have to carries its rider every other day. Thus meaning less stops and quicker travel.

_  
Luckily, when they got to Haven, there was a stable ready and waiting. With there still being a week before the Conclave, Adaar and his team took time to become familiar with the lay of the land around Haven and the Temple of Sacred Ashes._


End file.
